Insane Clown Posse Albums (13)
What The Critics Say
If you think the only differences between Insane Clown Posse fans and sheep are wool, number of legs and acne, then The Tempest won't change things much. Their reputation is too far gone for anyone who prides him or herself on having good taste, since they're culturally rotten to the core with the incorrect amount of irony and few of the qualities that make one revered in hip-hop. "They can't rap" is unfair because they can and do in a carnival barker fashion that fits with their circus motif, their Insane Clown disguises, and Mike E. Clark's big top-inspired production. That's the biggest news this storm called The Tempest brings -- a storm foreshadowed on their 2005 effort, The Calm -- that after seven long years Clark is working with the group once again and the difference is well above notable. While you can't really say there's no ICP without Clark, wrestlers and rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope have had little musical appeal without him. For their loyal fan base -- "Juggalos" and "Juggalettes" as they prefer to be called -- music is just a small part of the whole experience and whatever J and Shaggy do/say/think is law. Clark must see it another way and puts these two rappers who "can't rap" into a whirlwind mix. Songs have ridiculous intros that are Alice Cooper with a mallrat attitude, and old-school scratching is all over the place. Hooks are simple and numerous and Clark cleverly borrows from whatever genre he feels like. Low rider music forms the base of "Mexico City," grand psychedelia trips out on "I Do This!," while crunching metal guitars land here and there throughout the album. It all swirls like a funnel cloud, which could somehow be related to this "tempest" if it wasn't for the fact that this storm is actually a roller coaster, a narrative twist that must have something to do with the lucrative possibilities of an ICP Theme Park tie-in. This fuzzy logic of storms becoming carnival rides and clowns rapping about demons, murder, and suicide for albums and albums can't be defended by anyone but the hardcore, but it can be ignored when the producer offers so many crazed diversions. If there are guilty pleasures, this is a guilty, guilty, guilty pleasure but there's no denying that Clark's vision does wonders for the duo. Plus it comes with a free poster. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'Hell's Pit, Pt. 2'
Release Date 8/31/2004
Tracks 18
Label Psychopathic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The loose concept called "The Dark Carnival Story" ends here with the sixth joker's card, Hell's Pit. If cheap suburban rap albums about chopping people up aren't your thing, you've probably ignored this magnum opus the whole way, but for those who care, the 13-year project that started with Carnival of Carnage ends with a fizzle, dear Juggalos and Juggalettes. Turns out -- Spoiler Alert! -- we're all going to put the goat head on and go to hell, but there are a couple laughs along the way, a sentimental remix, and a couple bonus DVDs to take with us on our descent. Despite the maudlin liner notes ("Each joker's card is somebody's favorite, somewhere, and that's enough to give them life"), the Insane Clown Posse sound tired of the concept, only getting inspired when they've moved on from it. The opening ten or so tracks don't push the "story" ahead much, but a couple of them can appeal to all those who don't own the average Juggalos' two-week rotation of T-shirts (there are new "hatchet men" earrings for the Juggalettes, by the way). Shaggy 2 Dope has always seemed to be 75 percent of the group's talent, but Violent J gets the best track for a change, "Suicide Hotline." His exchange with the hotline worker is lively and fun, and when his girlfriend interrupts his desperate call, it's hilarious (J: "Hey baby, before you go...," Juggalette: "I know baby, bring the blunts," J: "[Snicker]"). "Truly Alone" breaks away from the usual "this demon popped out of the earth and I was blinded" stuff, which is good news. Better still, "Bowling" cops Madonna's "Justify My Love" beat, adds bowling alley noises, and ends up displaying some quirky/fresh ideas. Then the album spirals down into the same-old, same-old. How Juggalos can hear "I like to suffocate people/And break their necks" and not groan with boredom is unfathomable at this point, but it's easy to see why they'd go crazy for the closer. "Real Underground Baby" is the big 13-minute Megamix, covering the band's long career with a suitably cheap booty beat. It's the only moment that brings some finality to this whole convoluted joker's card thing, and any outsider who hears it will wonder if they've been missing out on something all these years. Probably not, but it's nice goodbye gift to the fans. End spoilers. [This edition of Hell's Pit is Pt. 2 and includes a different bonus DVD than Pt. 1. This bonus DVD includes an entire live show filmed in Denver and the "Real Underground Baby" video.] ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'Hell's Pit, Pt. 1'
Release Date 8/31/2004
Tracks 18
Label Psychopathic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The loose concept called "The Dark Carnival Story" ends here with the sixth joker's card, Hell's Pit. If cheap suburban rap albums about chopping people up aren't your thing, you've probably ignored this magnum opus the whole way, but for those who care, the 13-year project that started with Carnival of Carnage ends with a fizzle, dear Juggalos and Juggalettes. Turns out -- Spoiler Alert! -- we're all going to put the goat head on and go to hell, but there are a couple laughs along the way, a sentimental remix, and a couple bonus DVDs to take with us on our descent. Despite the maudlin liner notes ("Each joker's card is somebody's favorite, somewhere, and that's enough to give them life"), the Insane Clown Posse sound tired of the concept, only getting inspired when they've moved on from it. The opening ten or so tracks don't push the "story" ahead much, but a couple of them can appeal to all those who don't own the average Juggalos' two-week rotation of T-shirts (there are new "hatchet men" earrings for the Juggalettes, by the way). Shaggy 2 Dope has always seemed to be 75 percent of the group's talent, but Violent J gets the best track for a change, "Suicide Hotline." His exchange with the hotline worker is lively and fun, and when his girlfriend interrupts his desperate call, it's hilarious (J: "Hey baby, before you go...," Juggalette: "I know baby, bring the blunts," J: "[Snicker]"). "Truly Alone" breaks away from the usual "this demon popped out of the earth and I was blinded" stuff, which is good news. Better still, "Bowling" cops Madonna's "Justify My Love" beat, adds bowling alley noises, and ends up displaying some quirky/fresh ideas. Then the album spirals down into the same-old, same-old. How Juggalos can hear "I like to suffocate people/And break their necks" and not groan with boredom is unfathomable at this point, but it's easy to see why they'd go crazy for the closer. "Real Underground Baby" is the big 13-minute Megamix, covering the band's long career with a suitably cheap booty beat. It's the only moment that brings some finality to this whole convoluted joker's card thing, and any outsider who hears it will wonder if they've been missing out on something all these years. Probably not, but it's nice goodbye gift to the fans. End spoilers. [This edition of Hell's Pit is Pt. 1 and includes the same CD but a different bonus DVD than Pt. 2. This bonus DVD includes the 3-D mini-movie Bowling Balls and a pair of 3-D glasses.] ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'The Wraith: Shangri-La'
Release Date 11/5/2002
Tracks 17
Label Riviera
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After a decade of proudly releasing offensive, obnoxious, and immature music that sold like gangbusters to kids around the Midwest, the Insane Clown Posse finally reached their much-prophesied "sixth Joker card," the last album in a conceptual journey that started with 1992's Carnival of Carnage. Claiming that everything up to this point had led to The Wraith: Shangri-La, they announce at the beginning that the meaning to their career will become evident by the end. And they wait until the very end of this ambitious album to reveal what it is, despite the occasional reference to Shangri-La (their metaphor for the afterlife). Waxing philosophical about ending the world's pains, ICP seem willing to spread some good vibes this time around. "Juggalo Homies" might even be the most positive song of their career; it actually has a great message about loyalty and friendship matched to a pleasantly laid-back rock track. Of course, the usual murder fantasies and sex anthems are in abundance, filled with the immature humor that has become their trademark. Oddly enough, they almost seem to apologize for repeating their usual hate raps on "Thy Staleness," which ends with the repetition of "I'm so sorry I'm stale" in a chanted singalong. A stab at a thuggish street anthem, "Ain't Yo Bidness," is a blatant Eminem ripoff, but the second half of the song is a definite highlight, as guest rapper Esham helps the Motor City clowns deliver a high-energy ending. In their attempts to change things around, their trademark circus music sound mixes well with rap-rock, and several songs (especially the double punch of "Crossing the Bridge" and "Thy Raven's Mirror") offer a very original twist on the genre that is distinctly their own. Finally, the album reaches its grandiose ending and reveals that the secret behind the carnival was really...God? The Wraith does reveal growth both lyrically and musically, although it's impossible to believe that ICP could have had any religious intentions, kidding or not, planned during the Carnival of Carnage years. On the other hand, this is the kind of skewed logic that has fueled their career. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
'Pendulum CD + Graphic Novel'
Release Date 8/20/2002
Tracks 12
Label Psychopathic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Released simultaneously with another disc called Bizzar that had similar cover art but completely different tracks, Bizaar is the Insane Clown Posse's attempt to prove that they are not the one-note novelty act they've been labeled. The music, by longtime producer Mike Clark, is actually the best of the band's career, seamlessly fusing metal guitars and shuffling beats. Lyrically, though, the band is still up to the same tricks. Though the ICP make some rather astute lyrical observations from time to time, they still rely too much on sophomoric jokes and shock value. In "Fearless," they rap about various dangerous stunts they can perform to prove their manhood, including asking Michael Jackson's plastic surgeon to do some work on them. "Rainbows and Stuff" is a mean joke, but the singsong verses and deliberately corny lyrics will appeal to the adolescent boy in every listener. Only "The Pendulum's Promise" and "Take Me Away" avoid the wannabe gangsta bluster and misogyny of the other tracks. Of the two albums, Bizaar is the weaker, although, of course, fans will want to have both anyway. ~ Victor W. Valdivia, All Music Guide
'Psychopathics from Outer Space'
Release Date 4/18/2000
Tracks 15
Label Joe & Joey
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Psychopathic Rydas Dumpin''
Release Date 4/18/2000
Tracks 12
Label Joe & Joey
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Billing themselves as Psychopathic Rydas, Insane Clown Posse and their protégés Twiztid, Blaze, and Mystery released Dumpin' as a limited edition CD of only 5000 copies that was only available to fans who won a trivia contest. But Dumpin' is something more than a mere collectible. Essentially, it's ICP's response to critics who accuse them of being little more than a minstrel parody of gangsta rap. By intentionally using the exact beats used by some of the biggest gangsta artists of the '90s (such as Ice Cube and Cypress Hill) and writing scathing graphic mockeries of gangsta rhymes (right down to stealing Master P's trademark "Uhhhh!"), ICP try to demonstrate that they're more than a novelty. And, as it turns out, with some of the best beats they've ever used, ICP actually pull off their stint as gangsta rappers. "Back 2 Crack," in particular, is simultaneously tasteless and funny, the tale of a gangsta rapper who is tired of trying to keep up with trends and decides to hit the pipe. Others, such as "Plug Dat Puss," are simply tedious sex rhymes, but the quality of the beats seems to bring out the best in ICP and Twiztid, who contribute some of the most skillful rhyming of their career. Unfortunately, ICP's refusal to get permission to sample the beats means that this will always remain an obscure, underground release, but ICP fans should definitely track it down, as it's arguably the most consistent release of their career. ~ Victor W. Valdivia, All Music Guide
'The Amazing Jeckel Brothers'
Release Date 5/24/1999
Tracks 17
Label Island
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Within every man there is a fight, a struggle between good and evil. Within each man is the ability to create much good or much destruction -- it is up to the individual to decide which path to take. An angel, perhaps named Jake, urges each individual to follow the path of righteousness; a devil, perhaps named Jack, urges everyone to walk the path of darkness. Sadly, Jack and Jake are fat guys in clown makeup. Yes, it's true that the Insane Clown Posse are back with their fifth proper album (or, in juggalo parlance, the fifth joker card) -- and this time, they have alter egos! And a morality tale to tell! For The Amazing Jeckel Brothers is a full-fledged concept album about the 19 circles of hell and how each man is torn between the juggling balls of goodness and spraying evil soda on paying patrons. Or something. Certainly, the very fact that ICP is writing a concept album illustrates their growing ambition, and the cast of cameos illustrates their changing audience and stature. Where The Great Milenko, the legendary botched major-label debut, was targeted at white-boy, adolescent metalheads -- really, how could any album that contained guest spots from Alice Cooper, Slash, Steve Jones and Legs Diamond be anything else? -- The Amazing Jeckel Brothers contains cameos from Snoop Dogg and Ol' Dirty Bastard, plus a cover of a Geto Boys song, which brings ICP to street level...or at least the street level that gangsta-loving suburban high schoolers love. Still, the harder beats and the slight removal of metallic tendencies give the album a fresher feel, and the concept, however muddled it may be, does give the album real structure and momentum. So, if The Amazing Jeckel Brothers does prove to give the Insane Clown Posse a large audience -- the kind fellow Detroit jesters Eminem and Kid Rock earned in early 1999 -- it won't just because they've hung around long enough or that their peers have paved the way. It will be because they've actually delivered an album that comes close to fulfilling whatever promise their ridiculous, carnivalesque blend of hardcore hip-hop and shock-metal had in the first place. True, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers will still annoy anyone who believes ICP are, for lack of a better word, jackasses, but it will satisfy the juggalos, and the music is clever enough to expand their audience -- a triumph of some sort. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
